''Riptide'' makes waves at Fox
By Michael Fleming

NEW YORK (Variety) - The director of last year's movie version of ``The X-Files'' has signed a deal to take the helm of ``Riptide,'' an action adventure on the fast track at Fox.

The film revolves around a surgeon who joins a professional treasurehunter on his family's island. They search for an ominous water pit, a 60-foot-diameter hole dug down to the water table which contains brutal currents that has claimed the lives of numerous adventurers, includingthe surgeon's father. All those who perished tried to penetrate the pit to recover a rumored pirate's treasure believed to contain about $2 billion worth of jewels and gold. The surgeon also gets to work on his operating technique, as a romance is part of the adventure.

The studio expects to cast soon in hopes of getting the film into production early next year.

The film originated from a novel by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child, which was published by Warner Books and optioned two years ago by Foxfor producers Arnold and Anne Kopelson.

Fox was eager to put Bowman back into a feature after he proved capableof handling a special effects-oriented action film with ``The X-Files,''which grossed about $185 million worldwide. Bowman came to that film after directing numerous episodes of the Fox network series.

Reuters/Variety